...and I am not sure why some folks are saying things like "serious this time".
Remind me of when The Stones promised a new album and then did not do it? Havent they usually been purposely vague about these types of things, making no promises and granting no expectations?
e.g. "[A new album] looks closer," he said. "Don't know where, don't know when yet …We had a little chat. We were just saying, 'We gotta get in the studio right? Right?' 'That’s agreed. Okay, boys, that’s agreed.' Where, when – [we] scratch our heads."